The modern and cosmopolitan capital of Luxemburg is a definitely human-sized city. The traces left by history fuse with the effervescence of current life. This valuable mix is one of the pillars of the city's identity, a melting pot of cultures with a rich history.
According to the description of a French author in the early years of the 19th Century, Luxemburg was an impressive fortress comparable to the site of "Gibraltar", which had the reputation to be unseizable. Its strategic position between the French Kingdom and the German Empire explains why the citadel of Luxembourg was one of the major strongholds in Europe, from the 16th Century all through its dismantlement in 1867. The citadel grew stronger and greater with the comings and goings of the European powers (the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, the House of Burgundy, the Habsburgers, the Kings of France and of Spain, and finally the Prussians). The greatest fortress engineers from all over Europe, including Vauban, left their marks. Today, the stronghold of Luxemburg embodies this common European history.
Both the military and civil buildings, bathing in surprisingly natural surroundings, determine the architectural outlook of the old city. The admiration it compels resulted in 1994 in the classification as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Since 1992 the association « Frënn vun der Festungsgeschicht Lëtzebuerg a.s.b.l. » (Friends of the History of the Luxemburg Stronghold) devotes itself to the promotion of the major national historical monument of the country, the stronghold of Luxemburg city, through the organisation of guided visits.
According to the description of a French author in the early years of the 19th Century, Luxemburg was an impressive fortress comparable to the site of "Gibraltar", which had the reputation to be unseizable. Its strategic position between the French Kingdom and the German Empire explains why the citadel of Luxembourg was one of the major strongholds in Europe, from the 16th Century all through its dismantlement in 1867. The citadel grew stronger and greater with the comings and goings of the European powers (the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, the House of Burgundy, the Habsburgers, the Kings of France and of Spain, and finally the Prussians). The greatest fortress engineers from all over Europe, including Vauban, left their marks. Today, the stronghold of Luxemburg embodies this common European history.
Since 1992 the association « Frënn vun der Festungsgeschicht Lëtzebuerg a.s.b.l. » (Friends of the History of the Luxemburg Stronghold) devotes itself to the promotion of the major national historical monument of the country, the stronghold of Luxemburg city, through the organisation of guided visits.